Critical errors uncovered on the KMN Maud, which took more than ten years and some $250 million to complete and was intended to strengthen the responsiveness, endurance and mobility of both Norway and NATO's naval forces, has resulted in a “disappointing” sailing ban after barely five months.
The Norwegian Navy's newest logistics ship, its largest, has been slapped with a navigation ban, the newspaper Aftenposten reported.
The KMN Maud, which has its own workshop, hangar space for two helicopters, operating theatre and a hospital with 44 beds, was launched in May this year and has a price tag of NOK 2.2 billion ($250 million).
Now, it cannot leave the dock until faults and deficiencies are cleared, which won't happen until the second quarter of 2020.
The sailing ban was introduced based on assessed danger to crew safety by the DNV GL, the Norwegian-based certification company formerly known as Det Norske Veritas. Inspectors uncovered a series of onboard matters related to material safety and lack of maintenance. Additionally, much of the new and expensive medical equipment onboard has also come under scrutiny. For example, the oxygen generator, which is to be used to produce oxygen on board in the operating theatre, can pose a significant fire hazard.
Lars Gørvell-Dahll, the head of the Norwegian Maritime Industry Association, said the lack of maintenance on the KNM Maud is related to its two-year docking at the South Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine…
